Home Oasis: Indulge In A Spa As A Retreat To Soothe Senses

June 16, 2002|By Madeleine McDermott Hamm, Houston Chronicle

HOUSTON -- Whether you light a scented candle, turn on soft music and slip into a bubble bath, or a masseuse kneads your tired muscles on your personal massage table in a fancy home spa, it's all about relaxing.

Spas have become one of life's luxuries, with nearly 5,700 in the United States. More than 75 percent are day spas, as opposed to the extended-stay facilities where you eat (very little), sleep and exercise. But with today's hectic schedules, many busy women -- and men, too -- find a day at a spa too time-consuming.

That's where the home spa comes in -- a personal retreat where you can go at your convenience.

Even if it's no more than locking the bathroom door and letting the shower beat on your back longer than usual, go for it, guilt-free. It's not as if we're the indulgent society that invented these pleasures. The word "spa" goes back to the Belgian village of Spa, where the curative powers of the spring water were discovered in 1326. And the ancient Greeks and Romans were known for their elaborate bathing complexes.

In The Bathroom Idea Book(Taunton Press, $29.95), author Andrew Wormer says the concept of segregating bathing and personal hygiene into a small, private room wasn't formalized until the 19th century. Today's bathroom designs, he points out, are more individualized, more responsive to site and climate and not as tied to architectural convention.

Wormer offers these suggestions:

"If you live in a mild climate, why not have an outdoor shower?

"Why not put a shower stall or a soaking tub right in your bedroom?

"If there is enough room, why not include an exercise area (or) a small greenhouse . . . as part of the bathroom plan?

"And if you have a great view, why not take advantage of it?"

Wormer, a builder and bath remodeler, says you can forget the old rules of bathroom design. Looks, features and durability count, but most of all, you should choose materials and styles that make you feel good, he advises.